Using WinPatrol: Part 1
WinPatrol's Basic Function
When you start your computer lots of services and programs also start. For example, your antivirus starts. Your sound card and video card may start programs to better control your sound and video. Your printer may start a program or two to help with printing. If you have a software firewall, it will start. Real Player, AOL or Messenger may launch applications. Quickbooks may launch a program to remind you to register and so forth. We will want some of these programs, but not others.
In addition, virus and spyware and malware programs could start running. Normally, viruses and spyware are set to run whenever you start your computer. Bill Pytlovany the author of WinPatrol decided that by monitoring the programs that start up, you can have a very effective virus⁄malware⁄ spyware control program.
When I first heard of this, the brilliance and simplicity simply blew my mind. Here was a simple idea, which allowed a small simple program to protect us from 95% of the spyware, worms, viruses, and malware that plague our computers! Once I installed it, the program ran flawlessly. It protects my computers and I've installed it on most of my client's machines as well.
But Doesn't my Anti-Virus Program Protect me?
Not against all of this. The Anti-virus program has pictures of known viruses. They add about 30 a day. They can also view the code of programs and determine whether the program seems to look like a virus. But if the virus is new, the antivirus program may not catch it. Also, the anti-virus program will not catch spyware or keyboard sniffers, or Malware.
Winpatrol has an excellent set of tutorials on their program here:
Besides myself, Winpatrol is recommended by many others, including:
- Microsoft's MVP Organization (Most Valuable Professional) which gives it 5 stars.
- Fred Langa's Langa Letter
- Tech Support Alert, which says: "Best Free Malware Prevention"
- Steve Bass (PC Annoyances author)
- Brian Livingston in Brian's Buzz: http:⁄⁄briansbuzz.com⁄w⁄paid⁄0448961730⁄#free1
Warning!
One big issue that can actually hurt people is that when you install new software or do updates, programs frequently insert into the "run once" startup section code to execute on the next reboot. This is because they need to finish their install before Windows loads up all its components. These installations will ask you to "reboot to finish installation". But before that, WinPatrol can popup and ask if some component should be allowed in the startup section. You may have no desire for this program to run at startup and be tempted to say no. SAY YES, otherwise, the installation will be incomplete.
Check afterwards to see if the component remains and deal with it then, if necessary.
I will continue with more WinPatrol tips next month.